SOCCSKSARGEN, June 26, 2020 – To help alleviate poverty amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) distributed Php 1.8 million worth of agricultural livelihood interventions in Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat.

Rice and vegetable projects

On June 15, 2020, Php 231,500 worth of aid was provided to farmers in Santa Cruz, Midsayap. Twenty (20) marginalized members of the Malamote Farmers’ Association and Upper Bulanan Farmers’ Association were the recipients of the interventions, which will potentially help them survive the crisis.

Each farmer received two bags of upland rice seeds, two bags of urea fertilizers, two bags of complete fertilizers, one pack of Pinakbet vegetable seeds, and one pack of Sinigang vegetable seeds to cover a total of 20 hectares. Moreover, the said farmer groups also received five knapsack sprayers.

DA 12 Regional Executive Director Arlan Mangelen said that the interventions will help the marginalized farmers surpass the challenge of the pandemic.

Muscovy duck project

Meanwhile, SAAD projects continue to roll as farmers in the province of Sultan Kudarat were also showered with interventions from the DA’s flagship poverty alleviation program. Two hundred forty (240) farmers were able to receive various interventions worth Php 1,650,000.

In the municipality of Lebak, a total 60 farmers benefited by the project wherein 15 farmers each received 13 Muscovy ducks while 45 farmers each received 14 Muscovy ducks on June 26, 2020.

In Bagumbayan, there were also 60 farmers who received the same project on June 17, 2020 in which 15 farmers each received 13 Muscovy ducks while each of the 45 farmers were given 14 ducks.

On June 24, 2020, the municipalities of Senator Ninoy Aquino and Columbio were granted the same interventions to 120 farmer-beneficiaries, each 30 recipients received 13 ducks while the 90 farmers received 14 ducks each.

One of the farmers who was  a recipient was Jeremy Carbonell of Columbio. “We can surely sustain our needs during this crisis because of this intervention,” he said. Mr. Carbonell added that he and his fellow farmers will ensure to create positive results out of these projects. “We will make sure that the number will be doubled soon, so that we can also help our fellow farmers here,” the farmer said. ###

Writers:

Carl Ulysses Aguillon, RAFIS DA 12

Jemiema Arro, SAAD PR and Communication Officer